Lenalea Wind Farm is a 50/50 joint venture onshore wind project between SSE Renewables and FuturEnergy Ireland.

Consisting of seven turbines with a maximum tip height of 135m. It has an installed capacity of 30MW and generates enough low carbon renewable energy to power over 20,000 Irish homes annually and offset almost 20,000 metric tonnes of carbon per annum*, contributing significantly to Ireland's 2030 renewable energy targets.

SSE Renewables led on Lenalea's construction and will operate the wind farm throughout its lifetime.

Lenalea reached full power and connected to Ireland's national grid in late 2023 as planned.

The wind farm is situated in the rural upland setting of central Donegal, approximately 8km south west of Letterkenny within the townlands of Cark, Killymansy, Lenalea, Kirkneedy and Rareagh.

The project previously secured consent in January 2010 but was unable to progress due to the lack of access to the electricity grid.

SSE Renewables owns and operates a number of wind farm sites adjacent to Lenalea, collectively known as Meentycat, with a total generation capacity of 88.5MW.

History

In March 2021 development partners, SSE Renewables and FuturEnergy Ireland, announced Vestas as the turbine supplier for Lenalea. Under the turbine supply agreement Vestas has supplied and installed seven V117-4.2 MW turbines in 4.3 MW operating mode.

The turbines will be serviced through an Active Output Management 5000 (AOM 5000) service agreement, utilising Vestas’ existing service base in the region. The V117-4.3 MW turbines rise to a hub height of 76.5 metres.

* Quoted 20,090 homes powered based on projected 30.1MW installed capacity, typical projected wind load factor of 32%, and typical annual consumption (4,200kWh). 19,744 metric tonnes of carbon emissions abated based on projected annual MWh output and latest average CO2 Emissions (0.234g/kWh) in the All-Island Single Electricity Market, and published by the CRU in its Fuel Mix Disclosure and CO2 Emissions for 2022, November 2023.